A Heroes Story
by HunterGenrou
Summary: A Heroes Story: A story about a young boy, who follows the path of a warrior, and teams up with some new comrades to take on the dangers of Maple Story. Follow the group from the Cursed Sanctuary, to the Zakum's Altar, and to other, dangerous places.
1. Chapter 1

A Hero's Story

Written by HunterGenrou

**Prologue: The Beginning**

It all started a long time ago, when the land was in an uproar. Maple Island, Victoria Island, Ossyria, Ludibrium... All were in chaos, as the monsters rose up, and attacked the humans whom had been living in peace. Legends tell of four brave fighters whom risked their lives to save the world. Tylus the Hero, Arec the Night Lord, Robeira the Arch Mage, Rene the Bow Master. They all joined forces to fight the creatures.

After months of fighting, the heroes finally drove the monsters back, and peace was once again restored. The four legends, weakened from their encounter, decided to train the next generation in their skills. Peace, of course, was short lived, as the monsters attempted a second attack. The great legends of before could not hold them, so a new group of heroes were called on. The prodigies of Tylus, Arec, Robeira, and Rene: Athena Pierce the Ranger, Grendel the Priest, Sitting Bull the Crusader, and the Dark Lord, the Hermit arose to take the deadly task of extinguishing the again lit flame. As the legends before them, they managed to stop the attack. But at a great cost...

It seemed as the memories of the world were wiped. Only the written records were left, and the events passed into legend. Amazingly, the great heroes still had memory of their skills, and powers. Looking towards a new generation, the legends decided to train all of those who seemed fit to risk their lives in the near future. This begins the story of an unlikely hero, and his compatriots who must face evil, danger, and their possible deaths. This is the story of a young warrior named Jiro.

**Chapter 1: The Hero**

The day started like any other, as a young boy with blonde hair awoke. His black eyes, the color of a refined Dark Crystal scanned his room. Still blurry from the nights rest, his hands moved to his line of sight. Gently, he rubbed his eyes until his line of sight was clear. Suddenly, the boys eyes opened wide. Today was the day! He would finally become a warrior, as he had always dreamed. But, he would have to train hard from now on. No more child games.

"Jiro, honey! Are you awake yet?" Shouted a voice from outside the boys room.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm up," Jiro responded with a yawn. "Let me get dressed..."

And so, the boy, named Jiro, got out of bed. He made his way to the dresser, located on the other side of his small room. Opening the top drawer, he slowly picked up his Orange T-Shirt with black sleeves. _"Ah,"_ he thought, _"This will be perfect for today."_ Jiro quickly put on the shirt, with no problems at all. Closing the drawer, Jiro moved to the next one down. He pulled out a pair of shorts, bent over, and swiftly put them on. Of course, the boy stumbled in doing so. Jiro pushed the drawer shut, and grabbed his brown skullcap from the top of the dresser. Carelessly placing it on top of his head, Jiro turned to the mirror. His eyes glistened, as he saw himself.

"Oh man! I look awesome!" He exclaimed.

Jiro quickly moved back to his bed, kneeled down, and picked up his wooden sword. It used to be so heavy, now its light as a feather. Jiro walked silently to his shoes, and put them on. Wooden Sandals would have to do until later. The boy opened his door, and walked out.

"Mom! I'm leaving now!" He shouted, running.

"Jiro! I made you a lunch!" She responded.

Jiro stopped, turned, retrieved the lunch, turned back, and ran off into the clear day. He knew not that this day would change his life forever, in a way he never imagined. In other parts of the world, heroes were awakening as well for their new adventure. They didn't know what they were getting in to as soon as they woke up...

Back to our Hero: In the dusty mountains of Northern Victoria Island lay the town of Perion, home to the warriors. Jiro looked in awe, at the people. They seemed so strong. He hoped to be like them when he grew older. Asking directions, Jiro was instructed to head towards the highest point of the town. Passing a samurai-like person who seemed over confident in himself, Jiro paid no mind. Finally, he made it to the citadel of warriors. Entering, he found an abnormal silence. There, at the top of a set of stairs sat a dark skinned man with a hat made of feathers draping over his back. He seemed to be in a meditative state. It had to be the man referred to as Sitting Bull, or Dances With Balrogs, as people have called him.

"Step closer, young one." The man said. "I understand you wish to travel the path of the warrior, correct?"

"Y...Ye..yes, sir... That is why I have traveled so long..." Jiro responded, nearly speechless.

"The path of a warrior will give you the strength of ten men... You will feel like you can take many more blows than before, but your swings will be slow, and you may not be guaranteed a decisive hit. Do you understand?" He explained.

"Yes... I... I understand." Jiro replied again.

"Very well. Step close." Sitting Bull stated, in a deep, strong tone of voice.

Jiro did as requested. Raising both arms high over Jiro's head, Sitting Bull muttered several words. A bright yellow light shone around Jiro. His muscles tensed, as if they had become stronger. Jiro did, indeed look more mature now, than ever before. He was a warrior! The light faded, and Jiro looked over himself.

"Welcome to the path of the warrior. Be strong. Be brave. But above all things, Be careful." He stated, seriously. "Good luck on your future. I sense something... About you. Fare well now, my friend."

Jiro bowed deeply, and turned. He almost forgot about the armor he had placed in his backpack the day before. Finding a nice, flat surface on the rocky town, Jiro emptied the armor out of his backpack, and stared at it for a minute._ "This is... My destiny." _Was all he thought.

A few moments later, Jiro stood in full steel armor, holding a long sword, and a broad steel shield. Replacing his skullcap, Jiro wore a red headband, covered by his blonde hair. Upon his face was a grin.

"I did it." He stated, standing in the wind.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: With A New World Comes New Friends**

After several years of training, and maturing, Jiro has made a name for himself as a loyal and trustworthy warrior. Of course, with the fame comes the flame. Jiro has been accused as a faker, a fraud, a moron, and above all, an attention seeker. It is clear that these people do not have a pure heart as Jiro does. Luckily, people didn't recognize Jiro at first sight, because they had expected someone different. Good thing, too. Because if he screwed up, everyone would know him.

One day, when Jiro was traveling in Kerning on quest he had been assigned, he stopped off in the bar for a drink. There was only a single person there besides himself. A black haired red eyed rouge, with a claw on his right hand. Along the right side of his face rested a scar. Most likely from the receiving end of a blade. On his back was a huge shuriken. He was dressed in Dark Scorpio, with a Dark ID covering most of his black hair. This man was obviously on the road of an Assassin. He lifted his glass to his mouth, and took a small sip from it.

_"Oh man... This guy might kill me if I make a wrong move..."_ Jiro thought. _"Well, here it goes."_

"So... Have you noticed how many idiots are running around these days?" He asked, trying to start a conversation.

The man set down his glass of vodka, and slowly shifted his head so his view met Jiro's shifting eyes. The intensity on his expression showed the man would obviously kill him if he offended him.

"You're right. It has become troublesome for me to go through town without being bugged by them." He stated in a calm manner. "The name is Razain, and yours?" He offered a handshake.

Jiro eyed the man carefully, and smiled. "The name is Jiro. Jiro Uzumaki. Nice to meet you, Razain." He said, firmly grasping his hand. They both shook hands. He thought he made a new friend, and he had. Razain went back to his drink, and kept at it in small sips until the glass was empty. Jiro ordered something rather soft, so he wouldn't find himself drunk when he was truly needed. Razain ordered a second drink, and they enjoyed their drinks until Jiro brought up something.

"So, uh... Do you mind coming along with me to help with some errands I'm running?" He asked, showing a sign of being frightened by Razain. "I mean, if you're not too busy, of course..."

Razain nodded. "Sure. I've got nothing better to do, why not?"

Razain reached into his pouch of mesos, and pulled out the cost of his two drinks. Jiro did the same, for his single drink. The two stood up, and left the Fusion Bar. The streets of Kerning were made of scarlet red bricks, and the buildings, a silver steel. This town is the only town in all of Victoria Island to have a city-like structure. It is no wonder that the party quest to take on the King Slime resides in this city. Kerning City's residents sell weapons mainly used by the rouge class, and is a good place to buy items off the black market.

In the center of the town lays the entrance to the sewer system, which ultimately lead to the swamps. Under the town resides the subway, which is mainly abandoned, minus a single track. Wraith, Giant Bubblings, and Stirge can be found in the abandoned subway. To the north of the city is a long line of construction sites, until the mountains of Perion come into view. To the south of the city lays another construction site. To the east of the site, you will find the Kerning Forest, and beyond that the three way split into Henesys, town of the archers, and the Harbor city of Lith. Beyond the hills of Henesys, you will find the forest town of Ellinia, a beautiful paradise city built in the trees. Fairies reside here, along with the magicians In the center of the island, deep in the dense swampy forest is Sleepywood, a dreary town with the most famous Sauna in the world; The Sleepywood Sauna. Victoria Island is a truly wonderful place, indeed.

A swift blur sped past Jiro and Razain, bumping into Razain ever so slightly. Next, Jiro felt a slight bump. Within a matter of seconds, Razain's Ilbis were missing, as was Jiro's Hero's Gladius, which he had received from Manji after completing a troublesome task of reviving the sword. Jiro's Steel Tower Shield was still secured in his left hand. They both blinked, unaware of what had just happened. Only seconds later, a dust trail picked up from the direction the blur came from, and passed the two. Who ever, or what ever did this was fast.

"...My Ilbis are gone..." Razain stated, startled.

"...Where's my Hero's Gladius!? This isn't good!" Jiro exclaimed.

"...You were holding it, and you didn't even realize it was taken? How dense are you?" Razain asked, and took off in the direction of the cloud of dust.

"Shouldn't we go after I----Hey! I'm not dense!----Wait up!" Jiro stated, and followed after Razain.

Our hero and is companion followed the cloud of dust all around Victoria Island, until finally, they found a lone girl standing, holding the Hero's Gladius, and Ilbis Throwing Stars Over the edge of the Ellinia Dock. "Come any closer and I'll toss them over, and you'll never see them again." She said in a soft, happy-go-lucky voice. On her face was a smile. She wore a red vest, with a purple shirt underneath. Her pants were a moderately blue-gray, and baggy. Her shoes, black snow shoes lined in a golden yellow. The girls hair was black, and covered by a straw hat with a red band around it. The girls eyes were covered by golden shaded sunglasses. On her left hand, was a Dark Slain. It matched her Gold Sylvia glove on the right hand. Along the knuckles of the slain was a golden brace, which extended between her middle and ring finger. Her Sylvia had a golden brace along the knuckles, and a golden brace around her wrist. It was obvious the girl was well funded.

Jiro and Razain stopped in place. They couldn't risk losing their possessions. The Heros' Gladius was one-of-a-kind. The Ilbis were a very rare type of throwing star. A horn blew, and the boat from Ossyria to Victoria slowly begun to dock at Ellinia Station. The girl jumped at the sound, and almost dropped the stolen items. Of course, she was able to hold onto them. Jiro and Razain saw their chance, and rushed the girl. Razain, using his Assassin speed, was there in a flash, and secured the items. Jiro jumped, and tackled the girl at an angle, so the two wouldn't fall off the edge. He pinned her down until the boat pulled in, which allowed for the passengers, whom were now unloading, could see.

"Augh! Get off me!" The girl demanded. "Rape!"

"Be quiet... You _stole_ my Hero's Gladius." Jiro stated, as the girl struggled.

"As well as my Ilbis." Razain interrupted, inspecting the items for damage. "Mind explaining why?"

"Gah, I was only joking! I was going to give them back!" She explained, still struggling.

"That doesn't give you any right to take something from us, and make us follow you all the way around the continent!" Razain snapped.

"You have your stuff, now let me go!" She demanded. "Before I file rape charges!"

"...How can it be rape? I'm holding you down so you don't run." Jiro said.

"Psh, let her go. I could have snagged them back at any time." Razain admitted. "Besides, I got something extra."

Razain pulled out a necklace from his pocket, belonging to the girl. She saw it instantly, and her eyes widened. The necklace was laced with diamonds, and had a Garnet and Black Crystal carving of a mysterious person. Jiro released the girl, as Razain had instructed. She made a quick break for the necklace, but to no avail. "Give it back! Now!" She demanded. Razain simply shook his head. He was taller than her, and was able to keep it out of reach of the nimble pickpocket.

"What is your name, girl?" Razain asked, in a darker tone than normal.

"That's for me to know, and you to never find out! Now give it back!" She demanded yet again. The girls name was Akitan, but she had yet to reveal that. A childhood friend of Jiro before she left home due to hatred for her parents. She had no idea it was Jiro, as he had no idea it was Akitan. They had an insurance policy over her with the valuable necklace, but would it be enough?

"Jiro. Get ready, we're leaving." Razain said with haste. Brushing past Akitan, he made his way along side the passengers whom were getting off the boat. Three Priests, A Cleric, Two Fire Wizards, a Bandit, two Assassins, five Spearmen, and a Ranger. Clearly a remarkable boat ride. They must have been hunting the powerful Crimson Balrog. Jiro followed closely behind Razain, recovering his Hero's Gladius from the Assassin.

Akitan's eyes opened wide again, hearing the name 'Jiro' being said. Her best friend as a child was named Jiro. The name was not common. _"Don't be silly. It can't be him. He would never have left home. Not the Jiro I know..."_ she thought.

"Your name is Jiro, correct? Your last name wouldn't happen to be 'Uzumaki' would it?" She asked, in a calm tone.

Jiro instantly stopped, after hearing that. "...How do you know my last name?" He asked without turning around. The red headband he wore on his head blew in the wind, as the engines of the boat started up. "Only Razain, and the people of my town know that name."

"Its me, Aki. Remember?" Akitan had finally revealed herself.

"That... That's impossible. Aki ran away years ago... I heard she was dead!" He said, and turned to face the girl. "Do you get your kicks posing as peoples friends?"

"...Jiro... Its me... We played games all the time. Your favorite was playing as the legends. You were always Tylus... You had me being Rene, Ice was Arec, and Moppit was Robeira. Remember?" She said, instantly responding to his comments.

Jiro turned, and examined the girl. She had taken her glasses off, to reveal shining navy blue eyes. The same eyes he fell in love with when he was younger. "Aki... It is you!" He accepted, and ran to her. Akitan came at him, and gave Jiro a hug. Two friends had been reunited after years of separation. Razain stared at the two, still holding onto the necklace. He didn't say a word.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: A Dangerous Journey**

Akitan joined up with the duo, even though Razain didn't trust her. After a few weeks, the three grew close. Jiro the Loyal Warrior, Razain the Assassin for Hire, and Akitan the Pick Pocket. The three were doing odd jobs for money, and rare items. Upon their travels, the three heard of a dark presence in the Ant Tunnel, which was just passed Sleepywood. The group intended to head down, and investigate, but what they would find proved to be even more deadly than they could handle...

His heavy armor weighing him down, Jiro was having trouble maneuvering through the dense swamps outside of Sleepywood. The sound of the moist ground was loud, as the warrior moved his way through. In front of Jiro was Razain, who had been down here many times. He was using a Topaz bladed dagger to cut through the vines. The dagger's blade was an S shaped blade. Behind Jiro, Akitan was following closely behind. Both Akitan and Razain were making no sound at all, while Jiro's armor in the swamplands echoed through the darkness. This sound attracted the creatures that lived deep within the swamps; The Curse Eyes.

Curse Eyes are hunter green grotesque worm-like creatures with one eye, two feet extending from the spinal area, right after the skull, and razor sharp teeth. The Curse Eye's head features some relatively small spiked mounts. Along the tail end, some mounts are found. Besides Dark Stone Golems, these are by far the most deadly monsters in the Sleepywood swamps. Curse Eyes have a tendency to always have fresh blood on their teeth.

The rustling of the overgrown, unused section of the swamps was heard instantly by the trio, who raised their guard immediately. Out of the growth came a single Curse Eye. Its teeth covered in blood. Behind it were at least a hundred more. Their queasy breathing couldn't be mistaken - And it was loud due to the huge number. The odds were clearly against the trio, but that wouldn't stop them.

Razain charged head on at the Curse Eyes, and threw the dagger smack into the eye of the lead Curse Eye. Blood spurt out, and it collapsed on the ground. From his pouch, using his claw, Razain used his Avenger skill, manipulating the throwing stars to four times their size. Tossing one, it cut through one Curse Eye, another, six total before sticking into the last one's skull. Each Curse Eye hit collapsed in a pool of their own blood.

Akitan opened the small pouch, which inside, looked like it could hold a fully grown Balrog. Inside, Akitan's throwing stars were nicely ordered; Icicles, Tobis, Subis, Kumbis, Tops, and the legendary Hwabis. She decided today would be a good day to use them, so Akitan selected the Hwabis. Hasting herself, Akitan's speed increased by double. Leaping into the air, Akitan threw seven Hwabis at once, each hitting a different Curse Eye. All but one of them fell to the ground, dead. The remaining one stood there in pain, before finally collapsing on its two legs. She continued to do so, slowly dwindling the Curse Eyes before they got too close.

Jiro, our Hero stood still for a second, with a dumbfounded expression. It took him several seconds before he realized what was going on, and Jiro charged forward. He took advantage of his Slash Blast skill, giving a powerful down thrust into a group of Curse Eyes. Of the six hit, four were cut clear in half, while the other two had their heads lobbed off. Every time a Curse Eye tried to bite his head off, Jiro raised his shield, blocking the hit, and jammed the Hero's Gladius right into its mouth, thusly killing it instantly.

After only five minutes of fighting, the trio were exhausted. They had only killed about half of the attacking group. All three moved together, making a half circle. Jiro in front, shield out, Akitan to his left, and Razain to his right. Each one breathing heavily, they had exhausted all of their mana, and strength. "Well, it looks like we're done for..." Jiro said. At the same instant Jiro said that, Akitan and Razain used their Dark Sight skill, to become virtually invisible. The two moved away from Jiro. One third of the Cursed Eyes followed Akitan, one third followed Razain, and the other third continued moving in on Jiro. "Screw you too!" he shouted.

Suddenly, Six of the Curse Eyes attacking Jiro turned into snails. A man landed directly behind the group of Curse Eyes and snails. He was dressed in a Red Requiem. It consisted of a golden robe, covered by a scarlet red robe, and finished with a golden belt. His hair was snot green, and spiked. In his hand was the rare staff known as the Kage. Made of bone, the blunt end was made with a skull with two horns. On the back of the skull are two golden rings. He smiled, and disposed of the Curse Eyes easily. With his line of sight clear, Jiro went to support Akitan in her trouble. The 16 Curse Eyes she had would be split off into 8 each - easy odds now.

A female warrior, which had accompanied the mysterious priest had already finished off the ones attacking Razain by the time Jiro had given Akitan a hand. She rushed to Akitan, and Jiro, striking all 16 Curse Eyes at once. Returning to the mysterious Priest's side, the two smiled, and left almost as fast as they had arrived. Razain, returned to the side of Akitan and Jiro, and Akitan clung to Jiro's arm. Jiro's shield was dented with the razor sharp teeth marks of the Curse Eyes. The dents had still fresh blood from their teeth.

They had been through a lot even with their skill levels. The three rested for about five minutes, and didn't say a single word to the other. Jiro was obviously thinking intensely, while Akitan stared blankly at Jiro, not even thinking one bit. Razain had a serious look on his face, and didn't look at all exhausted. They remained like that, for five minutes, until Jiro finally said a word.

"I'm sorry, Aki... I couldn't protect you..." He said, his eyes resting on the gazing girl. She responded with a laid back 'whatever' expression. (or, F3 for those who play.) Jiro knew that deep down, she cared, but Akitan didn't.

"Jiro! Shut up. Akitan, are you ready, or not?" Razain asked, while the others sat around. Akitan stood up, and begun walking towards the small, secluded village known as Sleepywood. Jiro staggered to his feet, and struggled to catch up to Akitan. Razain was forgotten. He shrugged. _"Nothing better to do."_ He thought, and lunged into one of the thick trees. Razain kept a close eye on his two new friends from above, since he was hiding his true talents. _"Should I tell you... Or wait until the time comes?"_ Razain had a dark secret that he wanted to tell, yet he couldn't. His orders prevented him from doing so.

Looking up, Razain smirked. "Thanks, Jax."

The village of Sleepywood was eerily quiet, and inhabited by only a few people. They had huge foreheads, with white markings on their skin. The villagers skin was an unnatural brown. The villagers are masters at making custom shoes, and gloves. As well as refining minerals, with makeshift materials. They are master medicine makers, being the creators of most of the medicine that is used in this world. The One man in the village, known only as _The Rememberer_ appears to be psychic.

The buildings are completely strange. They look like pale white melons with green leaves on the top. Almost mistaken as peeled bananas, shoved into the ground - Fat bananas at that. On an abnormally placed, and floating platform was a modern style cabin. The cabin was home to the world famous Sleepywood Sauna. An odd statue in the center of the village was an interesting attraction by all adventurers for many reasons. Unfortunately, that statue was crumbling. Just above the archway that lead into the village was a man floating in the air. This man was _The Remembered_.

To the eastern end of the town, closer to the exact center of the island was the Ant Tunnel. Deep down in the Tunnel was the Cave of the Evil Eyes. Just beyond that rested the Tunnel That Lost Light, even farther down was the mythical Cursed Sanctuary, which rested in the exact center of Victoria Island. All who entered the Cursed Sanctuary never returned alive. This included the Legendary Hero, Tristan. The _only_ recorded person to return from this place was Manji. The Cursed Sanctuary was the destination of our Heroes.

Razain was still following from a distance, as Jiro and Akitan moved like a couple into the village of Sleepywood. There were several strong people standing around, talking - The Ant Tunnel is an excellent way to train yourself. Several weaker people walked the village, trying to find the Forest of Patience as an errand for John, in Lith Harbor.

Silently, the two close friends moved through the small village of Sleepywood. They tried making as little noise as possible. Several meters behind was Razain, whom drifted in their general direction, completely unnoticed by the people in the village. As _he_ passed under the arch where _The Remembered_ was resting, the faint voice of the old wise man was heard. "You carry a strong burden on yourself. And if you fail, this entire world will be in grave danger, correct?" _The Remembered_ said, without even opening his eyes, or looking down at Razain. Razain's eyes widened, as he froze in fear. _"How did he... Impossible..."_ He thought.

"Old man, my business is not of your concern. If you wish to assume things, help the little ones find their way around the village." Razain said calmly.

"I sense a great burden on you, it is the only reason I have spoken. I wish not trouble you, young one. Good luck on your duties, and may the spirits guide you safely." _The Remembered_ said, keeping the same position, facial and emotionally.

"I'll be sure to succeed, Thank you for your concern, old man." Razain said, knowing _The Rememberer _is able to see the spirits of the dead without using his eyes. The Assassin quickly moved off, into the shadows of the village, which always seemed to be blanketed in darkness.  
Akitan, and Jiro were overhearing the rumors, which had amazingly beaten them to the village of Sleepywood about the three, Jiro Uzumaki the Loyal Warrior, Akitan the pick-pocket, and Razain the Assassin for Hire. Everyone was talking about them, and everyone seemed to know who they were.

"_Did you hear? Those two, and their friend are going to the Cursed Sanctuary, for a brutal death."_

_"Nonsense! I heard they are really strong fighters, and are going to eliminate the devil that lives down there!"_

_"lol u c dem? u no they r noobs rite?"_

_"May their damned souls rest in peace."_

_"Hrm, those young ones are brave, indeed. I wish them safe passage to the Balrog. The Taurospears, and Tauromacis may be a bit of a challenge for them..."_

Jiro couldn't take the criticism anymore. "You idiots! We're going to clean the sanctuary of the darkness. If you think you're brave enough, join us. If not, shut up." Jiro felt proud of himself after that outburst. Akitan nodded after his outburst and said: "You guys are cowards... We're risking our lives to do this, and you're just talking about how we're going on a suicide run!"

From the crowd stepped a single archer. She wore a pink kimono, decorated with elegant flower designs. The trimming along the edges was made in pure gold. Her bow was the hard-to-find Asianic Bow, and from the looks of it, the Bow was strong, and sturdy. Her quiver of arrows was full of steel pointed arrows. The girls hair was long, and black. Her eyes were blood red. In her hair rested a giant, and beautiful red rose. Her face seemed so innocent as she moved through the crowd. This girl attracted a lot of attention from mainly the males. "I agree with you... They are too afraid to face the dangers you are facing. That's why I'm going with you.---That is, if you don't mind..." She said.

Jiro stared at the archer, speechless. He had no words to say, but he wanted to say it was too dangerous. The words wouldn't come out... Jiro's nose started bleeding after prolonged staring at the girl. Akitan noticed, jabbed Jiro in the side, and turned to the archer girl. "If you want to come, come on. I won't be responsible for your death." She said, and moved away. Akitan didn't mind company, but when it was another girl, it meant she wouldn't have her men all to herself. 'Specially with the way Jiro was acting towards her.

The archer girl nodded, silently, and took several more steps closer. Everyone stared at her, silently. Nobody said a single word. Some sudden muttering caused everyone to move away, and go back to what they were doing. The silent murmur of the people in Sleepywood wouldn't have been ignored by ongoing travelers.

"So, what is your name, miss?" Jiro asked.

"...Miho. My name is Miho." The girl replied.

And so, a fourth member of this small party was added. Miho, the beautiful archer. It was almost too good to be true, but it was true. Completely. Miho walked up to Akitan, and gave her a warm smile. Akitan returned the favor, attempting a smile. Miho took it as a sign to leave her alone, and did so. She lowered her head, and moved back. Jiro, Akitan, and Miho made their way to the Ant Tunnel. Significantly behind the three was Razain, the man protecting them. He followed them into the darkness of the Ant Tunnel.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: The Ant Tunnel**

The Ant Tunnel was a dark, and desolate place. It appeared that nothing could grow, or live in there. The only things that would live are the already dead, and yet resurrected Zombie Mushrooms, The Horned Mushrooms, and Evil Eyes. Farther down, where there is no light completely, life can be found. The Cold Eyes, Drakes, and Wild Cargos are able to feed on something, after all.

Akitan walked into the Ant Tunnel next to Jiro, with Miho behind them. There was barely any light, but enough to see where you were going. The cave walls were a pastille yellow. Almost like a plague of rats, the Zombie Mushrooms, and Horned Mushrooms infested the Ant Tunnel. Whatever dug these caverns had to be huge, because they were massive.

One off the Zombie Mushrooms strayed towards the three. Jiro stepped aside, and unsheathed his sword. Then, he stopped, as Miho moved silently. She took a single arrow from her quiver, and slowly, with much concentration, lined the arrow with her bow, and took aim. Her right arm moved back, hand on the string. Without warning, she released her grasp on the string, and the steel tipped arrow shot forward, striking the Zombie Mushroom in the dead center of its Undead Charm, pierced the Zombie, and continued to fly until the arrow stuck into a rock.

A dark blue blood splurted from both ends of the punctures. The undead charm, which was on the 'forehead' of the zombie mushroom caught flame, and burned away. The zombie erupted in a blue flame, and swiftly turned into ash. Jiro, and Akitan turned to Miho, and stared at her. She noticed, instantly flushed red, and retreated a few steps. "...Oops... I forgot to mention... My soul arrows... Use holy energy.. My... Mother was... A priestess..." She said, losing her confidence again.

Akitan smiled, but still didn't fully trust the archer girl. If she fired holy soul arrows, they had an advantage against the undead monsters that plagued the tunnels.

"...Where did Razain go?" Jiro asked, finally noticing they were down a member. Akitan stared, and finally realized he was gone, too. Miho remained silent, but started to continue down the Ant Tunnel. It would take them several miles to reach their rest point, at Ant Tunnel Park. The 24 hour Mobile Store would be located in Ant Tunnel Park, making it a perfect place to rest up, and re-supply for the journey into the abyss.

Akitan, and Jiro both noticed the archer moving away from them, and staggered to their attention. Razain appeared from the shadows right behind Jiro, and Akitan without warning, and spoke. "You're both really slow."

Akitan squeaked, and they both jumped. A slight, and deep chuckle escaped from Razain, and he continued to move, sweeping passed the two. He easily caught up to Miho, whom was walking quite slow. Akitan pouted, then joined back with the group, but not before picking up the loot from the fallen Zombie Mushroom. Unless the monsters decided to attack on their own, the four didn't even bother aggravating them.

A deep scream, obviously from a man echoed through the caverns. It caught the attention of the travelers, whom had been walking for hours through the caverns. They picked up their pace, and followed the screams. Passing the Ant Tunnel Park, they made their way to the Cave of the Evil Eyes, and noticed a trail of blood, as well as a few Evil Eye corpses. They stopped fast, to see droplets of blood, which lead _into_ the Cave of the Evil Eye.

"...You don't think someone went in alone, do you?" Jiro asked, caring like always. Miho nodded, slowly.

"It's on the way," Razain stated, grumbling.

Before they realized it, Akitan had already run off into the cave. The Cave of the Evil Eye was full of rotting Evil Eye corpses, piles of bones, and hundreds upon thousands of eggs. Jumping around the cave, which descended deep into the darkness were Evil Eyes - Hundreds of them. Evil Eyes are just like Curse Eyes, but yellow, instead of green. They are relatively weak compared to Curse Eyes, and their teeth are not as sharp.

The three followed behind Akitan, still keeping up. Razain was quick to take rear guard, and Jiro went on point. Everyone's weapons were ready, incase they were ambushed. Jiro's steel, almost blue armor was covered in dents, and dry blood. Jiro's bandana was still in perfect condition. Akitan still wore her red vest, and travel hat, which she had been wearing since they first met her. Razain continued to wear his clothes, which were abnormal for a normal person. Only a truly worthy Assassin could ever wear them. The giant shuriken on his back had the remains of dry blood, from the incident with the Curse Eyes. His eyes begun to glow blood red, yet nobody seemed to notice. Miho's pink, flowery kimono seemed to glisten with elegance. Her kimono was clean, with no evidence of being dirty. Miho's long black hair made her beautiful eyes stand out, which seduces the men who gaze upon her. Miho's bow, the Asianic Bow was a finely shaped golden bow, with a Garnet grip, and topaz decorations along the main portion. The string, made of a fine material was sturdy. Miho had a pink quiver on her waist, the right side. On her left, Miho carried a pink, one-handed sword. It glowed with a pink aura. It literally seemed like Miho was producing the only light they could actually see with, at this point. But how could such a shy person produce such a bold, and bright light? Another shout broke their silence.

"DIEE!!!" Shouted the male voice. It was really close... Right below them.

A young man, wearing crude leather armor, sewn badly was standing there, bleeding. Around him, the corpses of several Evil Eyes. In his hands, a two handed battle axe. It looked way too heavy for the guy. The axe was covered in the blood of the Evil Eyes.

The young warrior groaned, and collapsed on the ground. His leather armor was ripped to shreds, and covered in blood. He continued to groan, as his skin went pale. He was obviously losing a lot of blood. Under his fruit basket of a helmet, the man had short, blonde hair. The color was a favorite amongst people.

Jiro, being the kind warrior his is, picked up the warrior, and started to walk back to the 24 hour Mobile Store. Razain, watching a group of Evil Eyes close in on them, removed the giant shuriken from his back. Miho removed an arrow from here quiver, and lined with her bow. She aimed, but stopped. Stabbing the arrow in the ground, Miho took out a small bomb, wrapped in a cloth. Setting down her bow, Miho plucked the arrow, and secured the bomb to it. Again, she took aim, yet, instead of the lead Evil Eye, she set her sights on the middle one. Letting loose, the arrow flew free, and hit the middle Evil Eye. Half a second later, the bomb exploded, and echoed through the caverns. Smoke covered the Evil Eyes, and six monsters squealed.

As the smoke cleared, the charred remains of seven Evil Eyes, and a relatively large crater remained. Miho blushed, and again, retreated. Razain nodded, but knew there had been something strange about her, but he could not pin it. Akitan was quick to loot the Evil Eyes of anything they had of value. She made some quick cash. One of the charred corpses carried a Cutlus...

It took only five minutes to make their way back to the rest point, where they laid the warrior down. He had fallen asleep by the time they realized he would survive. Entering the Ant Tunnel Park, from the direction of sleepywood emerged a single, lone Cleric. She wore a White Calaf, a yellow dress, with a white toga-like robe over it, lined in gold. In her hand, a Maple Lama Staff. In her other hand, the cleric carried an Esther Shield. Her hair was black, and relatively short. The girl's eyes were red. She wore Red Heart earrings on her ears. She had a sweet, and innocent look on her face. She was out of breath, and almost collapsed.

"Its hard... To keep... Up... With you..." She said, innocently.

Razain cocked an eyebrow at the cleric. Why was she down here? And all alone, at that? It probably didn't matter to him, so he quickly abandoned any thoughts.

"You're a cleric, right?" Jiro asked.

"Yes, I am. Why?" She asked, having caught her breath.

"Can you heal this guy? He's pretty banged up."

"Sure." She responded. "This'll only take a moment."

The cleric strode over to the unconscious warrior. Raising her Lama Staff, the Cleric glowed green, as did the warrior. His wounds vanished, and he regained his skin color. The cleric smiled, and moved away. Everyone stared at her, and she continued to smile.

"By the way, what is your name?" Jiro asked.

"Oh, It's Diana." She replied. "And yours?"

"I'm Jiro. This is Razain, Akitan, and Miho." Jiro said. "Pleasure to meat you."

"No, the pleasure is all mine." She said, in a squeak. "Who is this guy, anyways?"

Diana's eyes rested upon the unconscious warrior.

"Wish we knew." Razain interrupted.

While they were talking, Miho had removed her quiver, and rested it under the warrior's head. Her pink glow was very eerie, indeed.

Deep below them, deeper down than the Cave of the Evil Eyes, a few explosions rippled. It was virtually silent, but the sound waves had to escape somewhere.

The salesman in the The 24 hour Mobile Store leaned out the window. "Yo, he alright?" He asked, dipping his shades for a better view. "I can give you something to help him - On the house."

"No thanks, he'll be fine." Miho gently said. "Thank you for your offer, though." She smiled.

"Alright. Well, do you need any supplies? Oh, by the way... A Ranger, and Sniper went down there. I ain't seen them for almost two days. They didn't supply here, either. If they're alive, I hope they're okay." He informed them.

Jiro nodded. "Thanks for the info." He said. "Oh, Razain. What'll we need for our trip? I've got no idea."

"Why don't we sleep on it first. _Then_ decide. We're losing light. Besides, the morning is wiser than the evening." Razain responded.

"Miho glows. There's our light." Akitan said, intentionally drawing attention to Miho.

"...Er..." Miho muttered, and retreated again.

Jiro's mouth opened wide, and he yawned. It was quite a loud yawn. Finding a nice, smooth surface, Jiro started to move toward it, but stopped. Turning around, he smiled. "Any of you ladies want this spot? Its nice, and smooth." He asked.

Miho blushed, and looked away. "N... No thank you.." She said.

"Its alright." Diana stated, and rested next to the unconscious warrior.

Before anyone realized it, Akitan was fast asleep in Jiro's spot. She seemed calm and silent. Just like he remembered her to be. Razain vanished into the shadows, yet again, to keep an eye on the group as they rested. _"Its like every time I turn around, he adds a new member to our group."_ Razain thought. _"That Miho girl... She wasn't part of the prediction... Who is she?"_

The archer, Miho went off on her own to find a secluded area to sleep. She unsheathed her blade, and stabbed it into the ground. Like herself, it glowed pink. Leaning against the cave wall, Miho slowly came to a sitting position. He facial expression went to a sad, and troubled look. "I can't tell them.. My love, I'm sorry I didn't listen to you. If I hadn't come down after you..." She said silently. Tears begun to accumulate in her eyes.

Quietly, the group slept. A majority of the members, it seemed, had emotional trouble. Jiro quietly slept, alone, with his shield protecting him. Diana slept silently next to the unconscious warrior. Miho didn't sleep, she was in tears still. Akitan slept like a baby, while Razain kept watch.

"Razain, what's up with the chosen one?" A voice asked. "I trust you're keeping him out of harm?"

"Yes, Jax. The master won't be displeased when we're done. I plan to meet up with a few people, and we'll go to _his_ grave. Jiro'll learn his destiny then." Razain said. "By the way, thanks for taking care of the Curse Eyes."

"Don't mention it. Dana's worried about you." Jax said. "Don't fool around with the 'Rog. Remember what happened to Tristan."

"Tell Dana not to worry. I'm with a Cleric, Hunter, and a Fighter... We'll be fine. I'll meet up with Eglado and Genrou farther down."

"Good luck. I'll be watching from a distance."

"Understood."

With a small compressed burst of blue light at chest level, Jax vanished from view. That Priest and his teleport sometimes caused trouble...

And so, a plot was revealed. Razain was assigned to watch Jiro by some unknown force. But, what for? Who's grave were they going to visit? Who was Jax? And who were the two Razain spoke of? And the Balrog, why would they go that far? What destiny befalls Jiro?


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Into the Abyss**

Jiro yawned, and opened his eyes. It was actually light out. He blinked, and got up. Getting to his feet, Jiro slammed his head on his shield. "Ow!" He yelped. Jiro retrieved his shield, and walked over to the 24 hour Mobile Store.

"Morning," He said, seeing his friends both awake, and asleep.

Miho hadn't fallen asleep, yet she still looked calm. "I can't hold this form for too long..." She said. "Forgive me for what happens..."

Miho stood up, and begun walking back to where everyone was at.

Diana slept peacefully, and was waken up by Jiro's noise. "Hey" She said, slowly making it to her feet. Razain managed two hours of sleep after his meeting with his mysterious friend. Vanishing from his perch, Razain appeared behind Jiro. "One hundred Unagis, fifty Red Beans, one Hundred or so Fried squids. About one-hundred Pure Waters, for sure. Each." Razain said.

Jiro jumped when Razain spoke. "Where'd you come from?!" He asked, spinning around. "Are you sure about that list? I'm short on cash."

"That'll come to... Roughly... 600,000 mesos." He said. "I'm giving you a discount for buying in bulk. Good luck down there."

"Thank you. Okay, everyone, split the materials equa---- Where's your girlfriend, Jiro?" Razain asked, not seeing her. Akitan, with her name being mentioned, woke instantly, and jumped to her feet.

"You rang?" She asked.

"Split this _evenly_ amongst yourselves, everyone."

Diana interrupted. "I don't need the Unagis, or Squids. Instead, let me buy my own potions. I'm a Cleric. Let me heal you."

"I don't need anything, either." Miho said.

"Very well then." Razain said, collected some items, and waited for the others. He seemed more alert than normal, perhaps from his conversation that night, or maybe from his lack of sleep. Whatever the case, Razain was up tight.

As the group gathered their materials, the warrior begun to regain consciousness. Slowly, he opened his eyes. His vision was extremely blurred, and he almost went blind from the sudden exposure to the light. Slowly, the warrior started to rise to his feet. Completely light headed, he stumbled into a rock. A gashing wound broke out just under the 'helmet' he wore. Groaning, the warrior regained is balance. "...Am I... Dead?" He asked, curiously, looking around.

Diana turned around, to see the warrior standing. "Hey Welcome back. No, you're not dead. We made sure of that." She said, smiling. "Oh, your head... its bleeding!. Let me take care of that."

The warrior moved away, as Diana tried to help him. "No thanks, I can take care of myself, thank you very much!" he snapped. "Besides, I don't even _know_ you."

"..." Diana tried to keep her smile, but it was hard. The ungrateful little punk. Diana quickly turned away, red with a hint of anger.

"You little jerk! She saved you from near death, and that's how you repay her?" Akitan snapped, backhanding him. "Apologize, NOW"

"Never." He said, and stormed off. Quickly, he stopped. "Where's my axe?!"

Akitan grinned, and waved the warriors axe. It was quite light, and she was obviously trying to anger him. "Want it? Say sorry."

"Screw you, and give it back!" He snapped, and lunged at her.

Miho quickly moved her bow into his line of movement, causing him to take a blow to the chest. Spitting up, the warrior backed off and fell to his knees. "What is your name, boy?" She asked, in a serious tone.

"...Yoshimitsu..." He said, weakly. "I'm... Sorry..."

Akitan smiled, and threw the relatively large axe at Yoshimitsu. It stuck into the ground, right next to his knee. He looked up at her, and stared. "There you go. Don't be so suicidal."

"Psh, I don't need _your_ concern." He said, and stormed off back towards Sleepywood.

"...You're too mean, Aki." Jiro said, with an emotionless tone. He mumbled, and moved towards Razain's direction. "Everyone ready?"

Miho, Akitan, and Diana all nodded, confidently. The group set out for the Cave of the Evil Eye. The cave begun to lose its light as they went farther down...

The Evil Eye corpses, that sat over night smelled horrible. Both rotten eggs and droppings at the same time, smell of barbeque was present. The charred remains were still smoldering.

"This way," Razain said. "Watch your step." Razain walked, dodging the corpses and crater. He made his way for a crude ladder, made of bone and flesh!

"...Hold crap, Razain! Are you insane?!" Jiro asked, not believing the ladder.

"Don't be a coward. Just don't look at the ladder, then." Razain replied.

Akitan shifted her eyes, and moved in front of Razain. "Screw that." She said, and lunged off into the abyss. She landed on the cliff face below. "All clear down here.

Miho copied Akitan's movements, but in a more professional, graceful movement. She landed silently, with no noise at all. Miho's bow had been slung around her arm.

Diana jumped down, with a silent thump, as she almost lost her balance. Akitan snickered. Miho moved over to Diana, and grasped her hand. "Are you okay?" She asked. Diana smiled, and motioned for Miho to release her hand.

"I'm okay." She replied.

After the girls were down, Jiro gripped the ladder, and slowly moved down. His armor would have forced him to fall faster, and harder. _half way_ down the rope, Jiro heard something. He looked up and to his surprise, the ladder was coming undone.

Not just undone, but ripping. Snapping completely from Jiro's armor's weight, the flesh rope tore, and fell. ...And Jiro with it. He fell, shouting obscene phrases that were not like him. Smashing his leg on the 'platform' they stood on, he kept falling. One hundred feet... Two hundred... Three... At four hundred feet, Jiro came to a loud thud. The cave was unusually empty this far down.

Slowly, Jiro begun to stir in the dark. "Ow... My head... My leg... I think I broke a rib..." he muttered, attempting to get up. One eye closed, and covered in blood, he groaned. Jiro coughed, and blood splurted from his mouth. He groaned, and fell back, hitting the wall that supported the platform above him. Jiro couldn't even see a thing. He decided to wait for everyone to get down thee. While doing do, he passed out...

Akitan screamed as he fell. "JIRO!!" She screamed, watching him fall. She tried to go after him, but got held back by Diana. "Let me go! Jiro!"

Razain stared, and watched Jiro as he fell. He didn't say a word as it happened. After twelve seconds, he heard a silent thud. _"I estimate he's only half way down.. Damn, I hope he's alive..."_ Razain thought.

"Will you three be okay on your own getting down?" He asked.

They all nodded, but Akitan was in tears. Miho's face didn't show any emotion at all. Diana was a bit uneasy, having seen Jiro be lost in the abyss.

Razain, too, nodded, lit a stick and went down after Jiro at a swift pace. Razain was actually worried as he moved into the abyss. Finally, Razain found the limp, bloody body of Jiro Uzumaki. He signed, and gave himself some light. Shaking his head, Razain kneeled down next to Jiro. "Don't you dare die on me, you're too important to the future of this world." He said. Razain repositioned himself so he was along the same wall as Jiro. He decided to wait in the darkness for the others to show up.

Ten minutes. It took _ten_ minutes for Miho, Diana, and Akitan to get down to their position. Akitan rushed to Jiro's side, and shook him vigorously. She attempted to shake him awake, but couldn't. Diana slowly walked towards Jiro. "Is he still breathing?" She asked.

Razain nodded, "Yes, but barely." He said. Razain quickly moved away, grabbing Akitan's arm as he did so, so Diana could do her job. She raised her Lama Staff, and the immediate area begun to glow a phosphorous green. The glow begun to slowly concentrate around the Lama staff, Diana, and the fallen warrior, Jiro. The green light moved around Jiro, completely and was absorbed by the warrior. His wounds healed, and he would be fine in a little bit. Until then, the group would have to rest it out here.

"You know... Its eerily quiet down here. What happened to the Evil Eyes?" Akitan asked, randomly. She sniffed the air. "It smells like smoldering bodies, just like near the surface... Did we take a wrong turn?"

Razain shook his head. "They probably migrated. Remember those Curse Eyes? They're simple Evil Eyes, which have adapted to the surface. Farther down, you may see some pale white Evil Eyes. Those are Cold Eyes. They have not seen day light in their life time. They are adapted to the freezing temperatures down there." Razain stated. "How many of you have been down this passageway before, anyways?"

Miho was the only one to raise her hand. "...I have, sir.." She said, silently.

"I see. And how did it turn out for you?" He asked, but Miho never responded.

The conversations continued to go on for roughly fourteen minutes, then motion from Jiro caused the group to silence up, and turn their attention. Akitan had regained her nerve, moved towards Jiro, and kicked him. "Get up, lazy bum!" she yelled. Her voice echoed through the caverns. It was amusing how Akitan was just seventeen, close to eighteen. She seemed like a fully grown woman; but with the attitude of a 13 year old girl.

Upon being kicked, Jiro grunted showing sign of life. Razain nodded, as Jiro reacted to the impact of Akitan's foot. Miho started to head down the ladder, deciding on her own to go ahead as a scout. Diana saw her movement, and quickly followed after.

Jiro's vision was dark, with no sight of anyone, or anything. Slowly, he started to see a hint of light. It was pink, but fading. He took that as a sign, and his eyes quickly shot open. Jiro started to gasp for air. He shook his head, still gasping.

_"Am I dead?" _he thought, having a field of vision finally. _"No... Aki and Razain are here. I can't be dead. But... The archer and the Priestess... Where are they?"_

Slowly, Jiro got to his feet. A sharp pain sparked to life and shot though his body. He nearly collapsed again, but Akitan was quick to prevent that.

Jiro's sword was gone, his shield lay next to him. Regaining strength, he swept in with one fluid motion, and grasped his shield. Staggering, Jiro started to walk towards Razain, but suddenly found himself on the ground again, as Akitan had tackled him. Holding back tears, Akitan struggled to speak, and smothered her face on Jiro's armored chest. "Don't ever fall like that again! You had me worried, jerk!" She demanded, and smacked Jiro in the head. Akitan could never reveal how she truly felt for Jiro, so she was quick to get up, and move towards the cliff side, which the other two girls had already gone down.

Razain and Jiro were quick to follow the three. They also caught up pretty quickly. It was steady sailing on the way down, with surprisingly, no Evil Eyes in the area. Although, nobody even said a word, the impression was that they needed to be far more careful than before. Jiro's close call was more than the group could handle, and Razain knew, that if Jiro died, the world would, indeed be doomed.

When they finally reached the bottom, a large clearing was revealed. In the center of the clearing, Jiro's Hero's Gladius was impaled on solid rock. Along the surrounding walls were small caves. Jiro, Razain, Miho, Diana, and Akitan stood together, united. Miho, however, was unusually uneasy about the place. She was trembling, like something had happened. None of the others realized it, either. Miho clenched her bow, and her eyes darted around. Shadows started to move around the clearing.

After a full scan of the area, Razain knew exactly where they were: The Drake's Hunting Ground. Razain's left arm vanished, and re-appeared holding three of his precious ilbis throwing stars. Akitan noticed his movements, and mimicked them. Jiro was oblivious to their movements, and walked towards his sword. As he reached for it, roaring echoed through the caverns. With virtually no thought, and on pure instincts, he lunged for his Gladius, yanked it from the ground, did a complete barrel roll, and was ready for battle, with his shield and sword at the ready.

Diana's eyes widened as she, too prepared for battle. Her stance was bizarre, but effective. Her calaf seemed to flow with her movements. Diana's Maple Staff, too, looked fierce.

From the caves, roughly 9 feet in height, and 13 feet in length, dinosaur-like creatures strode towards the group; Jiro in particular. Their skin, scaley with a teal tint, was cobalt blue. Two blunt ended horns behind their eyes, and a single horn on their snout. They had a long, blue massive tail, with plate-like scales pointed up from the neck to the end of the tail.. The creature had two massive hind legs, and two stubby arms with razor sharp claws. The creatures' heads were like that of a raptor with layer upon layer of razor sharp teeth, but a dumbfounded, and yet, pissed off expression. They were the Drakes.

Gliding passed the main group, the Drakes went at Jiro, snapping. He had little time to react, since the creatures ran at a fast pace. You would have never suspected they would be so fierce in such a large group. Jiro raised his shield, and blocked the first set of jaws. While his shield, itself held the Drake's mouth open, he took the chance to impale the skull, by thrusting his Gladius into the Drake's mouth; A critical shot. The Drake squealed, then fell limp, in a pool of blood.

Two more came at Jiro, and Miho was already in action; a volley of arrows pelted one Drake, causing for it to retreat, and regroup with the others. Razain and Akitan begun throwing their stars at the other Drakes in the area, taking them down slowly, but surely. Razain's damage was significantly higher than Akitan's, although he tried his best not to show his true skills.

Diana revealed a skill she had not yet shown; she teleported to Jiro's side, and begun using a magical, ranged slash on the incoming Drakes from behind. Jiro realized the truth; he had real friends he could depend on. In a matter of seconds, the other Drakes disbanded, and went for individual targets. Be it Miho, Razain, Akitan, Diana, or Jiro, the initial targets, none the less, it was a futile attempt, as the Drakes, which started the conflict, were slaughtered. Standing in the middle of a bunch of dinosaur corpses, Jiro's Gladius was covered in fresh blood; as was his shield.

"Is everyone okay?" He asked his friends. Nobody responded verbally. Razain was collecting, and cleaning his ilbis. Akitan was looting any notable items from the Drakes, and Diana stood next to him.

Miho, however, collapsed to the ground. She had taken an injury to her arm, and blood was gushing. Everyone stopped what they were doing, and rushed to her side.

"Miho!" Jiro shouted, when he got to her side. Her face was going pale, but she had a weak smile.

"Tell him… I love him. Tell Ge…" She said, and lost conciousness.

Diana tried, frantically to heal her, but to no avail. Tears accumulated in her eyes. Miho was gone… She couldn't save her! Everyone but Razain begun to cry. Razain kept a straight face. Strangely, Miho's blood disappeared. A pink light floated for a second, and vanished in a haze. "Thank you, friends…" echoed a eerie voice.

Miho's body slowly begun to fade away, vanishing completely. There was no sign of her ever being with the group. Even the arrows, which were imbedded in the Drakes were gone. Though the Drakes remain dead. Everyone was still crying. Diana was especially shocked, since she couldn't save Miho's life. It was bizarre, but the healing should harm the undead, yet heal the living. Why didn't it heal her? Unless she was… Could she be? Diana looked up, to see where the haze had vanished. "Could you have…?" she whispered.

The group had a moment of silence for Miho. Even Razain was courteous enough to lower his head, as well. They stood, silently, remembering the short time they were with her. Miho's quiet, full-of care attitude made her a valuable asset for the team, even if they didn't know it. And now, she was gone…

Deeper in the Icy Blue, crystal-like caves, a Ranger and Sniper stood, over a pile of Wild Cargo corpses. "Hey, something's up." The Sniper pointed out. The Ranger, however, pretended not to hear him, and kneeled down.

"_Miho… What happened…? I told you to stay with Athena…"_ He thought to himself. They were covered in a shadow from the darkness, but a small amount of light shone through the now charred black crystal-ice.


End file.
